Norwegian Register-Based Studies on Sports & Health (NorSport): Study protocol

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Abstract
Aims: To describe a novel nationwide research project entitled “Norwegian Register-Based Studies on Sports & Health (NorSport)”, focusing on the data available and the theoretical background guiding their use. Methods: NorSport links individual-level data from the Norwegian Sports Membership Database and Population Register for all Norwegians aged 10–70 (2010–2024), combined with socioeconomic, healthcare, prescription, and community-level intervention data. To examine the bidirectional links between sports participation and physical and mental health, we will use prospective cohort designs, matched family designs and community-level quasi-experiments. Results: The data include exact dates for events related to sports participation, socioeconomic status, employment, prescriptions, and healthcare use for physical and mental conditions across individuals and families. Key biases are reduced by design—through full population inclusion, family-based controls for genetic and socioeconomic confounding, and use of objective records instead of self-report. Analyses will be guided by a biopsychosocial framework within sports and health research. Conclusion: With comprehensive national population data and a systematic approach to study design and bias reduction, NorSport enables more valid and actionable insights to guide public health policy and interventions in the field of sports participation and health.

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